Sudden, severe TE - damage control tips?
Hi guys, first post on this sub. At my current rate of hair loss, feeling desperate and yet very defeated at the same time..
I’m a fine-haired girlie, and life has really taken a toll on density recent years. First, severe hair loss from Covid, where I got really sick with lung adhesions, heart issues and severe underweight. Didn’t actually recognise the hair loss, though I remember clogging the shower drain more than usual, until I saw pictures of me with my hair pulled back.. Derm said TE, and while shedding eventually stopped (unsure when), hair growth eventually recovered from topical minox, sporadic microneedling, nizoral, vitamins and diet focusing on protein/stabilising my weight, though it took a painful 2-3 years. Lost about 1/4 of overall density, which I never fully regained (in my opinion, even though family and friends said otherwise).
Then, another round of substantial hair loss after intense hormonal treatments for endometriosis/adenomyosis and later egg retrieval. Body still adjusting 1-2y later, with shedding on and off despite continuing minox topical. Stress at work has also been an aggregating factor as I work in international relations, and let’s be real - the world is totally off its rocker with shit hitting the fan every god damn day.
Now I lost my soul dog. My one true love, my ride or die. I have C-PTSD from before, and she was my everything for 14y. Got me through it all. This is the worst loss I ever have to go through. My hair shedding is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I know professionals are saying TE comes 2-3 months after stress/trauma, but for me, the effect was immediate. In the first shower after losing her, I lost over 30 hairs, compared to normally 1-3 hairs (habit of catching the hairs so they don’t clog the drain and I can keep an eye on shedding). Shedding has stayed high after, approx 10 hairs every shower. Now, a month later, it’s closer to 20 every shower, and the hairs literally fall off me everywhere I go. They’re gathering in clusters on my clothes, under my socks, in my food - everywhere. At this rate, I fear I will actually go bald.
So I’m looking for damage control advice. I will try to motivate myself to restart and intensify previous routines - microneedling, nizoral, anti-inflammatory diet, vitamins etc, even though doctor recently took a complete blood panel and everything came back more than fine (eg, vitamin D and ferritin above recommended levels for hair growth). I’m literally lying in bed crying all day except for a single daily walk carrying her harness, which is why I was thinking these routines perhaps could help me focus a little bit on self care. Like there is a tomorrow worth planning and taking care of myself for, if that makes sense.
Has anyone else experienced this immediate shedding effect? And does anyone have - any - tips beyond those already listed, that worked for them - both to reduce shedding and increase growth? Even home remedies etc. From my experience, combating TE requires a full-spectrum approach. And with this dramatic TE I’m currently experiencing, seems like I need bigger guns and all the help I can get.